Combination-lock.



P. CLENDENNY. COMBINATION LOCK. APPLICATION FILED JUNEE, I916.

Patented Oct. 10,1916.

Witnesses Attorneys @FFTQE.

PERCY CLENDENNY, 0F SEATTLE. WASHINGTON.

GOMBINATION-LOCK.

Specif cation of Letters latent.

Patented @ct. 1%, 191%.

Application filed June 6, 1916. Serial No. 101,981. I

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PERCY CLENnnNNY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Seattle, in the county of King and State of Washington, have invented a new" and useful Combination-Lock, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention appertains to combination or permutation locks, and aims to provide a" novel and improved mechanism of that character.

It is the object of the invention to provide a permutation lock of novel construction and operation whichcan be set to releasing position by'means of the operation of buttons, keys or equivalent elements, and the tumblers of which can be readily disarranged by the simple touching of a button, key 'or the like, thus permitting of the manipulation of the lock in the dark, to render the lock handy, and to eliminate the necessity for a dial or dials being used.

It is also the object of the invention to provide a permutation'lock of the nature indicated which is comparatively simple andinexpensive in construction, which can be applied to automobiles, safes and other structures, and which will serve its office in a thoroughly practical, convenient and serviceable manner.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combi nation and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of. the invention.

The lnvention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 is a plan view of the mechanism,

with theupper portion of the case broken away. Fig. 2 is a cross section taken on the. line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 1s a longitudinal section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1, portions being shown in elevation.

In carrying out the invention, there is provided a case 1 of any suitable construction and contour, composed of separable sections, which are attached together in any suitable manner to prevent their separation by an unauthorized person without involving prohibitive trouble. The case 1 is provided therein with a longitudinal tubular guide 2 projecting from one end thereof, and its other end is provided with a short tubular guide 3. Slidable within the guide 2 is a lock bolt 4, the outer or forward terminal 5 of which passes slidably through the guide 3 so as to be projectable from the respective end of the case. Thecase 1 is provided at its opposite sideswith internal longitudinal guides 6 slidably receiving the opposite prongs 7 united with the bolt 4 adjacent the forward terminal thereof between the guides 2 and 3. The prongs 7 in working within the guides 6 prevent the rotation of the bolt 4, and assist in holding the bolt in proper operative position. The bolt 4 is moved to projected position when released, by means of a pair of coiled wire expansion springs 8 disposed between the rear end of the case and the ends of the prongs 7 The lock bolt can be detained in retracted position by means of a detent pin 9 slidable in the forward end' of the case, and adapted to be moved into an aperture 10 of the bolt 4 when the bolt is in retracted position. The bolt can thus be held in retracted position, out of the way, and when it is desired to bring the look into operation, all that is necessary is to withdraw the pin 9, thereby releasing the lock bolt in order that'it will be moved to projected position by the springs 8.

Means are provided for locking the bolt 4 in projected position to prevent the unauthorized operation of the lock to retract the lock bolt, such means embodying longitudinally spaced ratchet wheels 11 rotatable upon the guide 2 in transverse planes. Each of the ratchet wheels 11 has its periphery provided with an-annular series of apertures or sockets 12 for adjustably receiving a stop pin 13, said pins 13 being adapted to contact with or bear against a stop 14 carried by the guidefi at one side of the case, when the ratchet wheels or tumblers 11 are brought tostarting position. By adjusting the pins 13 to difierent positions of the ratchet wheels or tumblers, the combination can be changed. The ratchet wheels or tumbler disks 11 are returned to starting posi-' tion by means of spiral springs 15 which have their outer ends secured to the case 1 and which have their inner ends secured to the rear sides of the .13918 11, said springs being wound up when the pins 13 are moved 11 away fromthe stop 14, in order that when the wheels are released, they will be rotated back to starting position.

The forward sides of the ratchet wheels 11 are provided with annular series of crown or face ratchet teeth 16, and the ratchet wheels 11 are provided with radial slots 17 extending from their apertures and adapted to be moved into registration with a longi tudinal slot 18 with which the guide 2 is provided. The lock bolt 4 is provided in registration with the slot 18 with recesses 19, one for. each. ratchet wheel 11, within which recesses detents 20 are pivoted. Said detents project rearwardly and. also project from thebolt- 4 to prevent the rearward movement of the bolt 4 when not wanted, and said detents are projected from their recesses 19 by coiled wire expansion springs 21 confined betweenthe detents and walls of said recesses. The detents 20 are slidable in the slot 18 of the guide 2 and through the slots 17 of the ratchet wheels 11 when they are set properly, thus permitting the lock bolt'to be retracted.

The devices for advancing the ratchet wheels or tumblers 11 embody arches 22 disposed transversely within the case and each having one end pivoted, as at 23, upon that guide 6 remote from the guide 6 having the stop 14 while the free ends of the arches 22 are pivoted upon a longitudinally slidable bar 24 slidably carried by; that guide 6 having thestop 14. The forward end of the bar 24 is pivoted to one arm of a bell crank lever 25 which has its elbow fulcrumed upon the guide 6 having the stop 14, and a rod or stem 26 is pivoted to the other arm of the bell crank lever and is slidable through the opposite side wall of the case, being provided at its protruding end with a button or key 27. Acoiled wire expansion spring 28 surrounds the rod 26 and is confined between the button 27 and the case, to normally move the button 27 and rod 26 outwardly, thus swinging the bell crank lever 25 to move the bar 24 rearwardly. This will move-the arches 22 rearwardly adjacent the forward side of the respective ratchet wheels. Each of the arches 22 carries a pawl or dog 29 engageable with the teeth 16 of the adjacent ratchet wheel, to prevent the retrograde or backward rotation of said wheel when not wanted.

Radial arms 30 project through and work within slots 31 of the arches 22, and are provided with rings 32 rotatably embracing the guide 2 in front of and adjacent the respective ratchet Wheels 11, whereby to mount the arms 30 for oscillatory movement. The rings 32 areprovided with slots 33 adapted to normally register with the slot 18. Pawls or dogs 34 are pivoted to the arms 30 and work through openings 35 to engage the ratchet teeth 16 of the respective ratchet wheels, and rods or Steins 36 are pivoted to the free ends of the arms 30 and pass slidably through the same side wall of the case 1 that the rod 26 extends through. The outer protruding ends of the rods 26 have buttonsor keys 37, and coiled wire expansion springs 38 are disposed around the rods 36 and are confinedbetween the buttons 37 and case to normally move the buttons 37 and rods 36 outwardly, thereby swinging the arms 30 to normal position with the slots 33 in register with the slot 18. I

In use, the lock can be applied to an automobile, safe, or. other structure for locking the same. For example, the case 1 can be attached to the frame or chassis of an automobile, in order that when the lock bolt 4 is projected, it will project between the spokes of one wheel, thereby preventing the wheel from turning, so as to prevent the operation of the automobile without the lock bolt being retracted. The lock can be used for many other purposes, however, as will be apparent. As above explained, the lock bolt 4 can be held in retracted position by the detent pin 9, and when it is desired to bring the look into operation, it is only necessary to retract the pin 9 from the bolt 4, so that the bolt 4 is released and moved to projected position by the springs 8, the detents 20 moving in front of the ratchet Wheels or tumblers 11 and the-rings 32. By pressing the button 27, to push the rod 26, the bell crank lever 25 is swung to move the bar 24 forwardly, thus swinging the arches 22 forwardly and removing the pawls 29 and 34 from the ratchet teeth 16. The arches 22 in being swung forwardly will naturally carry the pawls 29 with them, and the arms 30 in being disposed within the slots 31 will cause said arms 30 to slide forwardly upon the guide 2 with the arches 221 The pawls 34 will be carried away from the teeth 16 by the arms 30. Thus, when the button 27 is pushed, the pawls are disengaged from the ratchet teeth, and the springs 15 will then come into play for returning the ratchet wheels to starting position with their pins 13 bearing against the stop 14. The ratchet wheels or tumblers are thus disarranged to bring their slots 17 out of registration with the slot 18, and this revents the rearward movement of the loc bolt 4 sufficient to move it to retracted position, since the detents 20 will contact with the wheels 11 and prevent such rearward movemnt of the bolt. A person having a knowledge of the combination, however, can readily move the lock bolt to retracted position, by first pressing the buttons 37 the proper number of times. Thus, each button 37 is pressed inwardly the proper number of times, to bring the slot 17 of the respective ratchet wheel into register with the slot 18, the number of times that the button must be pressed depending upon the relative positions of the pin 13 and slot 17 of the ratchet Wheel; Each-time the, button 37 is pressed,

the arm is swung whereby its pawl 34 advances the ratchet Wheel or tumbler 11 one step, and the ratchet Wheel is thus advanced step-by-step, but must be advanced a predeterminednumber ofsteps to bring 7, its slot 17 intore'gistration with the slot 18,

or else the'loek-kbolt cannot be moved back- WardlyQ After all of the ratchet wheels or tumblers have-been set properly, the detents- 20 are movable through the slots 33 and 17, thus permitting the bolt 4 to be moved backward'ly to retracted position, and it can be held in this position by the detent pin 9. The present lock does not use a dial, and the buttons can be readly operated even in darkness, relying solely upon the sense of touch.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In a permutation look, a tubular guide having a longitudinal slot, a bolt working in the guide and having detents working. in said slot, rotatable tumblers upon said guide having slots adapted to register with the aforesaid slot for the passage of said detents, spring means for returning the tumblers individually to starting "position, means for stopping the tumblers when returned to starting position, releasable meansfor preventing the return movement of the .tumblers, and manually operable means for the individually advancing the tumblers stepby-step.

- 2, In a permutation look, a tubular guide having. a longitudinal slot, a bolt slidable in the guide and. having detents working in I said slot, tumblers rotatable upon the guide having slots to register With the aforesaid slot for the passage of the detents and havhaving a longitudinal slot, a bolt slidable in said guide and having detents Working 1n said slot, disk tumblers rotatable upon the guide having slots to register with the aforesaid slot for the passage of the detents and having an annular series of ratchet teeth, spring meansffor individually returning the tumblersto starting position, means for stopping the tumblers when returned to starting position, oscillatory manually operable arms mounted upon the guide and having pawls engageable with the ratchet teeth of the respective tumblers, pivotally mounted members having slotted portions receiving said arms, pawls carried by said pivotally mounted members for engaging the ratchet teeth to prevent the return movement of the tumblers, and means for swinging said pivotally mounted members to remove their pawls from the ratchet teeth and to slide said arms to remove their pawls from the ratchet teeth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aifixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

' PERCY CLENDENNY.

lVitnesses:

JOHN S. BRAZIER,

WM. R. MCCLINTOCK. 

